Give a brief account of the applications of electrolysis.
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Answers
Electrolysis, process by which electric current is passed through a substance to effect a chemical change. The chemical change is one in which the substance loses or gains an electron (oxidation or reduction). The process is carried out in an electrolytic cell, an apparatus consisting of positive and negative electrodes held apart and dipped into a solution containing positively and negatively charged ions. The substance to be transformed may form the electrode, may constitute the solution, or may be dissolved in the solution. Electric current (i.e., electrons) enters through the negatively charged electrode (cathode); components of the solution travel to this electrode, combine with the electrons, and are transformed (reduced). The products can be neutral elements or new molecules. Components of the solution also travel to the other electrode (anode), give up their electrons, and are transformed (oxidized) to neutral elements or new molecules. If the substance to be transformed is the electrode, the reaction is often one in which the electrode dissolves by giving up electrons.
Electrolysis is used for the following purposes:
Electroplating
Electro-refining
Extraction of metals by electrolysis
1) Electroplating
The process of depositing a thin and compact layer of superior metal over the inferior metal by the process of electrolysis is called electroplating. It can be of many types such as silver plating and nickel plating. It is done for the following reasons:
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To prevent metallic articles from rusting. For example, articles made of iron are electroplated with nickel so as to prevent them from rusting.
To improve appearance of articles. For example, decoration articles made from copper or brass are electroplated with silver to improve their appearance.
2) Electro-refining
Electro-refining is the process by which impurities are removed from an impure metal. Metals such as silver and copper are refined using electro-refining.
3) Electro-metallurgy
It refers to the process of extraction of metals from their fused ores by the process of electrolysis.
Example- Potassium and sodium can be extracted from their fused ores using electro-metallurgy.